Halo: The Tides of War
by Shimina-yeah-ha
Summary: Mendez leaves Reach to start a new project, project Spartan III, but will the new Dr, Dr Amon, be able to handle it. Mendez begins to doubt the securities of the facility. Please, just give me some constructive critisism, I know could word some things bet


Disclaimer: I don't own some of the characters, the game. But I do own my created characters and the situations that I put them in.

**PROLOGUE**

**0400 hours, September 12, 2552(Military Calendar)Mt. Hecht, unknown Covenant controlled planet in the Aiwa system.**

Rick shot the climbing rope to a ledge about one third of the way up the mountain and said "All right, I want everyone to climb up to that ledge, and wait for further instruction."

20 ropes shot up out of the Spartans' guns to the ledge.

"Adjust the traction on your boots for an easier climb." He advised.

Nick did that, then continued to climb, his rifle pointed upward. He used a variation of the MA5B Assault Rifle, with more power, but semi-automatic fire. The core was thinking of issuing new rifles, and Nick was the early test subject. He looked over the other Spartans, and continued the climb. He was the first one to make it up. He turned around and looked at the ground. He saw tiny figures running to the base of the Mountain.

"We got company." Nick said, and told the Spartans to look down.

"Provide us with covering fire til we can get up there." Rick said.

Nick shot rounds at the grunts and jackals, but none of the shots came close. He continues to fire until Marc, the team's sniper, arrived. Immediately he took out a group of grunts and jackals. In a matter of seconds he managed to kill dozens of Covenant.

"Marc, you and I'll have their six. Nick, you're in charge." Rick said over the COM channel.

"Attach your backups here, incase you fall. Let's move." Nick ordered. 18 acknowledgement lights winked.

They marched up the mountain as one, moving quickly, and eventually made it to the top. They had their backs to the platform, and awaited the signal. Nick led the fiber-optic camera above them and saw the platform raised about a meter with two SHADE cannons guarding it.

"We have two shade's up there, that shouldn't be too hard." He said, and gave the signal to charge. They all ran up, right into the trap. Dozens of Shades appeared before them, and fired. All the Spartans except for Nick, Mike, Erik, and Steve fell backwards off the cliff. Mike then fired his Jackhammer missile launcher in the center of the cannons. All but three of them flew into the air. Nick leaped the meter- high barrier and landed on top of the cannon. He threw the grunt out and fired at the other cannons. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a Grunt running towards the doors leading into a structure. He fired, but the grunt made it. He hopped out and ran towards the door, waving the other Spartans along. They came to a room filled with Covenant crates.

"Erik, try and get those open, Mike, cover him. Steve, go back and assist my team. I'm going to find the brig and locate the crew. Wait here for the rest and await further orders." The team hesitated, and then moved. He didn't mean to emphasize "my team", but he was excited about receiving command He walked through the door. He was facing a grunt. Nick ripped the face-mask of the grunt and let him suffocate. He knew there would be more, and semi-crouched into the room. A grunt jumped and let out a high-pitched squeal and fired three shots. They all flew past him and hit the wall behind him. He fired into the grunt's head, then turned to face the others. He ducked under a charged plasma shot, and dove into the room. He quickly finished a jackal by shooting the tip of his head, something he couldn't have done with his normal assault rifle. A grunt threw a plasma grenade at him, but it landed two meters in front of him. It exploded into a blue mist, which Nick jumped through, firing his rifle. He finished of the last grunt with a kick to the face, which killed it instantly. He moved to the end of the room. There ere two symbols on the wall, next to arrows. The first one pointed left and was a triangle with three lines parallel to the base. The second one showed a square and a triangle inside. "Erik, what do these symbols mean?" he asked on Erik's COM channel. Erik was their Covenant Technology specialist. He ran the fiber optic camera in front of it.

"The first one means "outer region" and the second one means "holding area", if you're lookin for the brig, take a right."

"Thanks" he said as he moved through the hallway. He encountered an Elite on the way. Luckily its back was turned and shields were down. Nick fired once in its head, and went on his way. He was at the end and saw a door with the same symbol on it as he saw before. He opened it and saw something that made him nervous: a slight mist that indicated camouflaged Elite. He opened fire, and turned to another one. His motion tracker showed three more in the room. He killed two, but the third was behind him. Nick turned and ducked under a plasma grenade that would have stuck to his head. He finished him off with repeated shots to the head. He walked up to the control panel and opened up the cells. He then looked around. In one he saw a figure walk out. He was wearing green armor, battered, scratched and burned. He was a Spartan.

**CHAPTER 1**

**0500 hours 25??(Military Calendar)**** Aboard UNSC Destroyer _Lusitania, _inslipspaceen route to SSP-1 in the Synsiad System**

Chief Petty Officer Mendez gazed out the window of the _Lusitania_. He felt wrong. They were going to an uninhabited planet to start the SPARTAN III project. The only thing they could rely on is the fact that the planet serves no purpose to the Covenant. From space it seems like just another planet with no life. But, from the surface, thousands of feet underground rather, it is a very important facility. On board were 137 eight-year-old kids. They were actually clones made for the sole purpose of defending Earth. The meaning of their entire creation is to destroy the Covenant. Years ago, Mendez would have thought that as a cruel crime against the human race, but with the success of the SPARTAN II program, it had to be done. Dr. Halsey had declined, saying that the current Spartans needed more attention. Instead, Dr. Amon volunteered. Mendez didn't like her. It wasn't so much her as he'd rather Dr. Halsey. She cared for the Spartans, though behind their backs, it still meant something. That's what the Spartans needed, and he didn't think Dr. Amon could give it.

"Exiting Slipspace now. All precautionary crew to battle stations be ready for anything." Faith, the ship's A.I said over the intercom. Mendez ran to the Cryo-bay. He observed the 137 children in their sleep. If anything were to happen, he would have to evacuate them. He waited for a few minutes, and then heard: "All hands stand down. No covenant in sight." over the intercom. Mendez eased and prepared for landing. There were only a few hundred Marines on the ship, not enough to take out a Covenant ship. As he arrived on the surface, he saw giant stationary cannons. Mendez stood at attention along with the Marines as Captain Harris walked out. A person walked towards him, bearing the insignia of a commander. They saluted, and everyone walked in together. There was a meeting that everyone was to attend. They walked up to a giant rock. Commander Harris pushed invisible buttons on the rock, and it opened. He could see the Titanium-A was about ten meters thick; enough to withstand anything the Covenant could throw at them. They walked to an elevator, and went down for what seemed like an eternity. He took at his at the table and they began the meeting.

"As you know," Commander Harris started "The Covenant has us beat in almost every aspect of combat, space and ground, with their superior technology. But, not for long. ONI is currently developing new technologies to upgrade our slipspace capabilities and space weapons. And here, we are training a group of children to become the greatest soldiers man has ever known. They will be smarter, faster, stronger. They will become Spartans!"

Hey, in The Fall of Reach, what year does it say John never sees Mendez again? Thanks.


End file.
